Gratitude: Day #6

(This one is for Saturday. I was busy with family and didn't feel like turning on a computer.)

I had a wonderful day with my brother and his family. My niece was baptized. It was so special for her. Being present at her baptism combined with conversations I had with my brother and his wife later in the day left me very grateful for my testimony. I am grateful God has blessed me with faith and an understanding (however small) of His love. It affects every aspect of how I view the world.

We live in a confusing world, where people are easily "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14). In comparison, a testimony of the Savior can help anyone build a solid foundation: "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12).

Gratitude: Day #5

Today we finally reached our destination: IOWA and my brother and sister-in-law's home. Driving through this part of America has been so pleasant. There's really no other word to describe how I felt looking out the windows. Pleasant. And I am so grateful for farmers who provide my food. I can barely keep a tomato plant alive, but I like to eat. Left to my own devices, I would be pretty hungry. So, I am grateful for our farmers and their pleasant farms.

Gratitude: Day #4

Yeah, I didn't actually post on Day #4 because I was busy driving. And driving. My friend had warned me: Nebraska just keeps on going. He's quite right. Wyoming isn't exactly an easy jaunt, either. We drove across the entire state of Wyoming and the entire state of Nebraska and it was kind of a long day. At one point, Nathan said (in his most dramatic voice), "This has been the longest day of my life!" And Beth kept looking out the window saying, "Why are we driving in circles?"

Anyway, I thought of a bunch of things I am grateful for whilst we were driving, but by the time I went to bed, I was most grateful for good friends. I stayed up way too late visiting with two of my favorite friends who live in Nebraska. Our family was in a place we had never been, but yet we were immediately at home in the Bryans' house. It's always good to be home.

Gratitude: Day #3

Tonight with our church youth group, I went downtown to feed some homeless people. They were kind, polite, and very thankful for the little food we had to share. I am grateful to have spent time with these children of God. I am also grateful for the many luxuries--including food--that I enjoy every day.

Gratitude: Day #2

Today, for obvious reasons, I am grateful for the right to vote. I have always had this right and can't imagine life without it. I vote in peace and order.

My brother was serving in Iraq during their first free elections. He has a really incredible picture of some Iraqi men, with big smiles on their faces, holding up their thumbs (dyed in ink) to show they had voted. It's a happy picture. I'm glad I can take part in my own country's political process.